Strategic Initiative Task Force on Internationalization and Diversity

Charge

Articulate a strategic vision and priorities for a “University of Iowa without borders”—a campus that’s more international and more diverse in all of its dimensions. Develop an implementation plan (with metrics, timetable, costs, external funding opportunities, etc.).

Issues to address may include:

Increase UI students studying abroad and international students at UI.

Infuse cross-national and cross-cultural perspectives in the curriculum.

Are diversity programs and international programs across the campus optimally organized—in terms of educational mission and cost-effectiveness— to implement the recommended strategic vision and priorities?

Promote the integration of domestic diversity and international diversity on campus, given that the face of our nation is being transformed by global immigration.

Updates

September 2009:

Third Open Forum - Internationalization and Diversity, Thursday, October 8, noon to 1 pm, Old Capitol Senate Chambers

Because of the strong interest shown by the university community, the Provost's Task Force on Internationalization and Diversity plans to hold an additional open forum on Thursday, October 8 from noon to 1 pm in the Old Capitol Senate Chambers. We hope to solicit a wide range of views on how the university can make progress toward becoming a more diverse, inclusive and international community. Members of the Task Force will be present to listen to the perspectives those attending wish to share in such areas as the campus climate, student, staff and faculty recruitment and retention, opportunities to build a more diverse curriculum and research profile, and outreach and engagement activities that might bridge differences and deepen cross-cultural understanding.

University of Iowa faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend an open forum, hosted by the UI Internationalization and Diversity Provost Task Force, to gather input to help the 19-member committee develop a proposal for focused areas of excellence related to internationalization and diversity on the UI campus.

The forum will be from noon to 1 p.m., Monday, Sept. 28, in the Med Alumni Auditorium, room E331 of General Hospital.

The open forum is designed to gather input on areas of focused excellence where the UI leadership can apply resources strategically and make progress toward a more diverse, inclusive, and international University. Members of the task force will be present to gather input.During the forum, participants will have the opportunity to provide input on areas such as campus climate, student success and retention, teaching and research, and outreach and engagement related to internationalization and diversity. The committee will then incorporate this feedback into their final recommendations to Provost Wallace Loh in December.

For more information or special accommodations to attend either of these open forums, contact Julie Blair at 319-335-0488.

June 2009:

The Strategic Initiative Task Force on Internationalization and Diversity first met in mid-May. At that time, the group decided to divide into smaller groups to review the state of efforts in these areas on campus based on existing information (existing reviews, reports, and recommendations), and to bring a small number of proposals forward to the full task force at the end of the summer. The smaller groups have been directed to consult broadly with members of the campus community and with other Strategic Initiative task forces as appropriate. The smaller committees will focus their work in three areas:

Climate and Retention

Coordination (both internal and external)

Teaching and Research

From the proposals brought forth by these committees, the larger group will choose a small set of bold, transformative ideas to create a more diverse and international university community.